Adjustable tree branch support



Jan. 26, 1965 J. B. PROZELLER 3,166,868

ADJUSTABLE TREE BRANCH SUPPORT Filed April 24. 1961 INVENTOR JOHN PROZELLER United States Patent 3,166,868 ADJUSTABLE TREE BRANCH SUPPORT liohn B. Prozeller, 2520 Hammond St., Prince George, British Columbia, Canada Filed Apr. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 105,009 1 Ciaim. (Cl. 47-43) This invention relates to adjustable supports for tree branches and the like.

Although this support is particularly designed for use in orchards to support the branches of fruit trees and is so described herein, it may be used for other purposes where it is desired to support articles at difierent elevations.

In most orchards, it is necessary to prop up the large or heavy laden branches as the fruit grows on them. This is usually done by ordinary poles or props. This means that the grower must try to find a prop of the correct length for each branch to be supported, and it results in a loss of time and often the cutting of a prop for the purpose. In order properly to support a branch, the prop must be reliable, that is, it must not slip on the branch, particularly during high winds when the branches swing horizontally and vertically, and it must not injure the bark of the branch or slip along the latter with the danger of breaking oif smaller branches from the branch being supported.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a support for tree branches and the like which may be adjusted to diiferent heights in order to support any branch of a tree, and which will support the branch without damaging it, and is reliable in that it will keep the branch at the desired level and will not fail even if the branch swings up and down in a wind.

The present support includes a prop and a gripping plate with a supporting arm extending outwardly there from. The gripping plate has a hole therein through which the prop extends. The plate is movable along the prop to adjust to different heights and the plate hole is just large enough relative to the prop to allow the plate to tip on the prop when a branch bears on the supporting arm, causing the plate to bind on the prop to support the branch. The supporting arm is shaped to form a cradle for the branch between it and the prop so that it is practically impossible for the branch to become accidentally separated from the support. In the preferred form of the invention, a prong on the plate projects into the hole at the side thereof opposite the supporting arm so that the prong bites into the prop when weight is placed on the arm. The prong is so positioned that the plate and supporting arm have to be moved upwardly before the prong can be disengaged from the pole or prop. In addition to this, the side edges of the plate and arm are preferably bent downwardly to form reinforcing flanges and to present curved surfaces to the branch rather than ordinary plate edges that can cut into the wood.

A preferred form of adjustable support is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the gripping plate and supporting arm of the support,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the support mounted on a prop,

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, is an adjustable support including a pole or prop 11 of any desired length. The prop is usually long enough for the highest branch that may require support. A gripping plate 15 has a hole 16 therein centrally thereof through which prop 11 extends when the support is in operation. The hole is preferably larger than the prop so that plate 15 can tip relative to the prop, as clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

A supporting arm 19 is connected to or formed with plate 15 and extends outwardly therefrom generally at right angles to prop 11. This arm preferably curves upwardly relative to and away from the gripping plate 15, as indicated at 20, to form an open-ended cradle, said arm forming one side of the cradle and prop 11 the other side thereof, see FIGURES 2 and 3. Actually, arm 19 is an extension of plate 15 which is bent upwardly to form the cradle.

The adjustable support described so far will function satisfactorily under most conditions, but in order to be sure that plate 15 will not slide down the prop while a branch is being supported, at least one prong, and in this example, two prongs 23 and 24, are formed on plate 15 and project into or over hole 16. It will be noted that thees prongs are inclined outwardly relative to plate 15. Thus, when the gripping plate is inclined downwardly as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the prongs project down wardly and inwardly relative to hole 16 to engage prop 11. These prongs make it impossible for the gripping plate to slide down the prop, and in order to release the plate, it is necessary to move it upwardly on the prop first in order to withdraw the prongs from the prop.

It has been found desirable to bend the common sides of plate 15 and arm 19 downwardly to form reinforcing flanges 26 and 27. The bending action provides transversely curved sides 29 and 30 for the plate and arm so that there are no sharp side edges for these elements. Flanges 26 and 27 also reinforce the gripping plate and supporting arm so that they may be made of relatively thin and light material, such as galvanized iron or aluminum, thereby cutting down the weight and cost. The gripping plate may be further strengthened by bending downwardly the end thereof to form a transverse flange 32, and by bending the material of the plate around hole 16 to form an annular flange 34. This annular flange not only strengthens the plate, but when the plate is tipped on prop 11 during use, the edge 35 of the flange engages the prop to help prevent the gripping plate from sliding down the latter.

When it is desired to use support 10, prop 11 is placed on the ground near the branch to be supported. Then plate 15 is moved upwardly on the support until arm 19 moves beneath and lifts the branch a little, said branch being indicated by dotted lines 38 in FIGURES 2 and 3. The weight of the branch tips the gripping plate downwardly relative to prop 11 so that the plate binds on the prop and cannot move downwardly. If prongs 23 and 24 are provided, as preferred, they bite into the prop during this tipping action of the gripping plate, as does the portion 35 of annular flange 34. This firmly fixes the gripping plate on the prop so that arm 19 cannot come away from branch 38. Furthermore, the branch is cradled between the curved outer end of the supporting arm and the prop so that it cannot move away from the prop, even though it may move up and down or laterally in a wind. The curved sides 29 and 30 of plate 15 and arm 19 are presented to the branch so that the plate and arm cannot bite into the latter to cause damage.

When it is desired to remove the support, it is only necessary to lift plate 15 upwardly against the weight of the branch to clear prongs 23 and 24 of the prop. Then the plate is swung into a substantially horizontal position, at which time it may be moved downwardly or upwardly of the prop.

An advantage of this invention is that the combined gripping plate and supporting arm may be sold alone, in which case, the grower will supply his own props, but the plate-arm and the prop may be supplied together. It is obvious that any given prop may be used to support a branch at any level within the prop length. Furthermore, there is practically no danger of the support allowing a branch to swing downwardly after the support has been put into proper position relative to the branch.

What I claim as my invention is:

An adjustable support for tree branches and the like, comprising a gripping plate having a hole therein through which a prop extends when the support is in use, an annular flange formed on the plate around said hole and projecting downwardly from said plate, a supporting arm extending outwardly and curving upwardly from an end of the plate and adapted to be positioned under a tree branch to cradle said branch against the prop, said gripping plate and supporting arm having common sides bent downwardly to form reinforcing flanges therealong and along opposite sides of the plate hole, and a pair of prongs located side by side on the plate and projecting into said hole at the side thereof remote from the supporting arm and adapted to stick into the prop, the side of the hole and said annular flange opposite said prongs being clear so as to be slidable along the prop, said plat being movable along the prop and the piate hole being large enough relative to the prop to allow the plate to tip on the prop when a branch bears on the supporting arm, whereby the plate binds on the prop to support the branch with the prongs sticking into the prop to prevent lateral tipping of the plate, said plate when free of the branch being slidable up the prop to withdraw the prongs therefrom.

Refer-races Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 35,265 McIntyre Nov. 5, 1901 473,412 Barker Apr. 19, 1892 678,679 McIntyre July 16, 1901 704,031 Hall July 8, 1902 2,765,136 Knapp Oct. 2, 1956 2,968,850 Tinnerman Jan. 24-, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 448,568 France Nov. 29, l9l2 1,245,485 France Sept. 26, 1960 250,586 Switzerland lune 16, 1948 

